Toilet-case.



PATENTED JULY so, 1907,

M. RAUSOHENBUSGH.

TOILET CASE. APPLICATION FILED an 26,1906.

No.'ss '2,104.

FFIGE.

MORITZ RAUSOHENBUSOH, OF KIRGHEN, GERMANY.

TOILET-CASE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed May 26,1906. Serial No. 318,977.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Momrz RAUSCHENBUSCH, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Kirchenon-the-Sieg, in the Province of the Rhine, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toilet-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved supports for toilet articles.

In order to protect the traveler against the communication of disease germs by residence in hotels, it is customary that everybody carries his own articles for the toilet. The placing of these, however, into the drawers, receptacles, and so forth in the bed rooms is another danger, for transmitting disease germs to the temporary occupant of the room, because one and the same dish, holder, drawer or the like, and the same place upon the table, the wall the wash stand etc. serves for the use of all the occupants; moreover the cleaning of the furniture in hotels is usually extremely superficial so that the danger of the communication of disease is very great. This danger can be obviated by carrying the toilet articles in special receptacles and display them therein for use instead of intrusting them to the hotel receptacles. There is some difliculty when it is the question of hanging up such articles as sponges, rags, tooth brushes and so on to dry, because ordinary scaffold holders (and only such are suitable because only by this means can an unchecked access of air from all sides be secured) are inconvenient to pack in traveling trunks. The inventor has, however, produced a device which serves for the above purposes and can be folded together in such a manner that it may be conveniently contained in the baggage of the traveler. This device is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the same in use, unfolded. Fig. 2 shows the casing open in plan view. Fig. 3 is a cross-section showing the spring catch and fastening means for the unfolded stand. Fig. 4 illustrates in detail the construction of the folding straps employed to secure the stand in open position.

The device as illustrated in the drawing consists essentially of two parts, a container or casing a and a support or stand I). The container has a convenient rectangular shape with rounded corners. After opening its catch 0 the container can be opened on the hinge d and when so placed upon the table forms a broad horizontal tray which besides supporting the stand b serves also for displaying the tooththe hairand nail-brushes, combs and so forth. These different articles are kept apart from one another bypartitions e, which partitions when the casing is closed for packing abut with their ends on each side against the stand b in collapsed position as shown in Fig. 2, and thereby prevent its lateral displacement in the interior of the casing.

The stand b is formed of four frames 0, p, q, 1" which allow free access of air to the damp articles when supported thereon. The four frames are pivotally connected by means of the hinges Z m n. The frames 0 and p have their lower bars f curved in U-shape, and their upper bars are provided with broad projections y at the inner side, passing beyond the hinges, so that the frames q or r are supported by those projections in approximately one plane, when the stand is unfolded. The top hinge Z permits of a folding together of the upper frames q and 1- into a flat position, while the lower frames p and 0 can be turned around their hinges m and n for about 180 but in one way only, 1;. e. that frame 0 comes in contact with the outer surface of q and that p comes flat upon frame 1*. Thus all four frames lie flat together as shown in Fig. 2. A turning around the hinges m and n in the opposite sense is impossible because it is prevented by the projections y, which press with their front edgesagainst frames 1 and q and thus stiffen the stand when in its unfolded position as in Fig. 1.

The hinges m and n are connected by means of folding cross straps 1) 10. These consist each of two bars, pivotally connected at at (Fig. 4), one bar is U-shaped and the other can swing in between the two cheeks. The web connecting the cheeks is cut away at the end, leaving only the part 2, which forms an abutment for the single bar and prevents it to turn beyond aline ment. The pivot holes at the ends of the bars are preferably made in enltrgements as shown in Fig. 4, so that the weight of the folding straps tends to maintain them in outstretched position. These folding straps are placed with the holes at their ends upon the projecting ends of the pivot pins of hinges m and 'n and may be secured there by cotter pins, nuts or any other well known means.

If the stand I) is to be set up, it is lifted out of the container and so held that the upper ends of the frames 1" and g, which are inside, point upwards. Upon this the two frames 0 arid p are turned down, till the projecting lips y come in contact with frames q and 7', thus bringing q and o in line and also 1 and p in line. Then the two frames q and r are moved apart. At the same time the folding strips (IL 'm fall into a horizontal line and stiffen the stand, which can now be placed upon the open casing. For this purpose the re-curved bottom-bars f of the stand are thrust under the two guide-pins g, see Fig. 3, and at the same time the spring actuated bolts h are drawn back by means of the pins 1', which then are likewise inserted in the bars f, springs is being used to push thebolts forward again. In place of the U-shaped bars f a suitable reinforcement may be used at the ends of the bottom bars and the guide pins 9 and bolt h may be feplaced by spring clips into which the reinforcements can be pressed. Projecting ends .9 of the frame 1" and a projection t on the frame q serve for the support of the articles to be suspended. When it is desired to fold up the holder again, the point thereof is turned downwards. Then the crossbars 1) and w fall by their own weight into an angle and the entire holder folds flat together, whereupon the frames 0 and p are turned upwardly on the pivots m and n and thus the holder is brought into the position illustrated in Fig. 2 in which it can be placed in the container and therein firmly secured by the ribs e.

The stand offers a large surface for holding combs brushes, files, scissors and the like. Moreover the apparatus when set up is very easily transportable and therefore can be placed in the sun at any time. It is constructed preferably of nickel metal, which is a substance very resistant to moisture and chemical in fluences and can be folded up simply by hand and set up in the like manner, and when packed for traveling takes up only a very small space. Obviously this device described above as applied for a toilet stand can also be constructed on a large scale and of other materials for other purposes, as for instance for hanging up pieces of laundry to be dried.

Having now particularly describedand ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. Portable folding stand for toilet and other article composed of two trapezoidal frames (0, p) and two rectangular frames (q, 1') hinged with one of their shorter edges to the former at the smaller non-diverging" edges of the same and hinged together at their opposite edges, of bars (f) having U-shaped cross section and forming the lower, non-diverging edges of frames (0, p), of connecting folding straps (1;, w) adapted to maintain the stand in open position, in combination with a flat easing, formed of two parts hinged together and provided with ribs (6) extending from the edges towards the middle so as to abut against the diverging edges of the frames parts (0, p) when the stand is folded together, and to hold it in place, substantially as described.

2. Portable folding stand for toilet and other articles,

composed of two trapezoidal frames (0; p) and two rectangular frames (q, 'r) hinged with one of their shorter edges to the former at the smaller non-diverging edges of the same and hinged together at their opposite edges, of bars (7) having U-shaped cross-section and forming the lower, non-diverging edges of frames (0, p), of connecting folding straps u, 10) adapted to maintain the stand in open position in combination with a flat casing, formed of two parts hinged together and provided with ribs (6) extending from the edges towards the middle so as to abut against the diverging edges of the frame parts (0, p) when the stand is folded together, and to hold it in place, of projections (g) on one side of the casing and spring bolts (71.) on the opposite side, to engage the U-shaped bottom bars (f) of the stand substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

I In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses MORITZ RAUSCHENBUSCH.

Witnesses O'r'ro BRAEGER, Louis VANDORN. 

